Joining the Committee

[swanny32]

Davey and myself were asked by our pro to join the committee at our club and to help him try and push through some changes, basically back him up as we all feel the same about our club.

Took a bit of thought but we have decided to do it, despite not a single person I have spoken to saying to do it, everyone, and I mean everyone, said don't do it.

I can't say I'm all that enthusiastic about it, I know what most of the committee members are like and I'm expecting us to be belittled almost immediately, whether or not I last long doing it, I don't know, but someone has to stand up for change, right?

Unfortunately, I'm very much one of those people who get's frustrated when things don't get done, I'm expecting to get angry and frustrated at the other committee members but will do my utmost to keep it inside and resist the urge to start shouting abuse.

Anyone got any tips?

 

[drutz]

Take prozac before meetings

 

[ash01]

Definitely don't get angry or frustrated. If they are all dinosaurs and have been circulating the same table for the past 20 years then you getting angry will make them close ranks much quicker.

Show your enthusiasm for change, not enthusiasm to force change.

All the best.

Ash!!

 

[swanny32]

Definitely don't get angry or frustrated. If they are all dinosaurs and have been circulating the same table for the past 20 years then you getting angry will make them close ranks much quicker.

Show your enthusiasm for change, not enthusiasm to force change.

All the best.

Ash!!

I just don't understand how the committee can turn down suggestions of things that quite blatantly need doing, things like that do my head in.

 

[Alex1975]

When you get to your first meeting they may have some really good reasons to be rejecting things you like. However there is more than one way to skin a cat.

What specifically do you guys want changing?

 

[AmandaJR]

My advice would be to avoid meetings!

Seriously though I don't attend every meeting and pick and choose those (mainly from the agenda) which I think I'll add value to and/or have items I feel strongly about. Pick and choose your battles (and opponents) wisely!

 

[19thagain]

There a few things you may find when you take your seat and it starts there ... you will probably be left well away from the 'hub' and have to wait your turn to interject whilst the nearer ones can catch the chairmans ear more easily.

Your points must be well rehearsed and researched when presented and you MUST be prepared for rejection. Accept it with a fuller argument to prove your point without raising your voice or using a harsh tone.

You will be equal in voting to the others there present and if ... three of you have the same agenda ... it will be difficult for the rest of the committee not to listen and give you all a fair hearing.

Do remember they have been running the club and do deserve your respect even if part of what they do is not to your satisfaction.

Walk before you run, wait for the correct time to make your point and GOOD LUCK - just remember you are now one of the idiots that run the club!!

 

[Birchy]

If you have a few points in your mind that you would like to make think them through thoroughly before slapping your cards on the table. Try and think of the repsonses/questions that could be asked to your points beforehand then you can think of some well thought out answers to come back with etc.

 

[Alex1975]

just remember you are now one of the idiots that run the club!!

Ha, made me chuckle!

 

[Doon frae Troon]

I have spent many years on committees and my advice would be.

Golf club committee members tend to fall into three categories, some are trying for social status, some are looking for business conections and the other is there to try and improve the club.

Ask to see the last 12 months minutes
Don't go in with guns blazing to your first meeting, play the long game.
Observe the first two meetings and try to be non commital.
See where the power/control lies.
Quietly set your agend by casual talk at the end of meetings.
Once you find that you have reasonable backing for your agenda introduce it.

Committee speak to watch out for,

All the other members = Me and my 4 ball.
The majority of the seniors/ladies = Seniors/ladies Captains and his/her 4 ball
The members say that the new caterer is dissapointing = He has increased the price of a bacon roll and coffee to £2.
The club champion said the course is in poor condition = he had an 82 in the last medal.

 

[Alex1975]

All the other members = Me and my 4 ball.
The majority of the seniors/ladies = Seniors/ladies Captains and his/her 4 ball
The members say that the new caterer is dissapointing = He has increased the price of a bacon roll and coffee to £2.
The club champion said the course is in poor condition = he had an 82 in the last medal.

I love this! I have no clue how these meetings go down or really anything about it but its all very interesting to me. I would love to believe that everyone would be looking to make the club better full stop, but humans being humans there will be people who want to keep it the same or make it better for them self.

 

[Hobbit]

I have spent many years on committees and my advice would be.

Golf club committee members tend to fall into three categories, some are trying for social status, some are looking for business conections and the other is there to try and improve the club.

Ask to see the last 12 months minutes
Don't go in with guns blazing to your first meeting, play the long game.
Observe the first two meetings and try to be non commital.
See where the power/control lies.
Quietly set your agend by casual talk at the end of meetings.
Once you find that you have reasonable backing for your agenda introduce it.

Committee speak to watch out for,

All the other members = Me and my 4 ball.
The majority of the seniors/ladies = Seniors/ladies Captains and his/her 4 ball
The members say that the new caterer is dissapointing = He has increased the price of a bacon roll and coffee to £2.
The club champion said the course is in poor condition = he had an 82 in the last medal.

Is a damn good answer.

You will find that there will be some on committee that will support you because they also joined for the same reason. You will find you are dragged into arguments in the bar/on the course. Always tell people to put it in writing, and most people won't.

However, if you are only going on committee to change a few things, don't bother. If the issues you feel need changing are important enough, write in . If, as you expect, they don't get passed ask amongst your friends if they would support calling an EGM, and that will give you an inkling of how many will support change.

As for someone loading bullets for you to fire...

 

[chrisd]

I have spent many years on committees and my advice would be.

Golf club committee members tend to fall into three categories, some are trying for social status, some are looking for business conections and the other is there to try and improve the club.

Ask to see the last 12 months minutes
Don't go in with guns blazing to your first meeting, play the long game.
Observe the first two meetings and try to be non commital.
See where the power/control lies.
Quietly set your agend by casual talk at the end of meetings.
Once you find that you have reasonable backing for your agenda introduce it.

Committee speak to watch out for,

All the other members = Me and my 4 ball.
The majority of the seniors/ladies = Seniors/ladies Captains and his/her 4 ball
The members say that the new caterer is dissapointing = He has increased the price of a bacon roll and coffee to £2.
The club champion said the course is in poor condition = he had an 82 in the last medal.

Pretty much sums up things for me after several years of sitting on committees. Most things that people stand for committee to change have been tried before and, if they worked, would still be happening. Don't climb into bed with the Pro on matters, unless you are convinced that they are better than you currently have, as you will just be seen as the "pro's puppet" and disregarded.

Always be respectful and you will command respect but most of all observe the first bit of Doons suggestions as the other committee members will be trying to sus you out.

 

[duncan mackie]

I just don't understand how the committee can turn down suggestions of things that quite blatantly need doing, things like that do my head in.

being on the committee tends to help with the understanding but then you will have to deal with everyone who "doesn't understand how the ........etc"

there are area's where change can be implemented through hard work but, as has already been said, for some of these it's actually much much easier to achieve from outside.

if you want more specifics it would help to understand the nature, or area, of the changes you have in mind

 

[swanny32]

When you get to your first meeting they may have some really good reasons to be rejecting things you like. However there is more than one way to skin a cat.

What specifically do you guys want changing?

In short, everything. The course needs improving in so many ways, from small things like decent ball cleaners and tee block markers to the big things like a redesign of holes.

 

[deanobillquay]

Wish you all the luck in the world trying to instigate changes.

Sometimes people won't change things simply because they're frightened to do so.

Get enough key people behind you and you have won half the battle.

 

[Hobbit]

Wish you all the luck in the world trying to instigate changes.

Sometimes people won't change things simply because they're frightened to do so.

Get enough key people behind you and you have won half the battle.

It takes a while.

And the next thing you know is you've been doing it years, and you are now the old guard and its your turn to move on. After 15yrs I have 4 weeks left of my sentence to do! Both arms are up my back but enough's enough.

 

[swanny32]

In general everyone at our club and who has played our course knows that it's boring as you can find, every hole is straight barr 1 or 2, it's got no character, no make you think holes, nothing at all, most holes are bland, boring and unimaginative. What we do have is a lot of potential, not to be something awesome but to be something the members and staff are proud of and more importantly something that would keep the green fee's coming back rather than playing once and never bothering again.

The head greenkeeper is a member as well as an employee but unfortunately for us, he prioritizes his membership before his job and can more often than not be found in the clubhouse eating and drinking rather than out there working on the things that everyone knows need doing. He's lazy, ignorant and a complete waste of space, get's given £50,000 per year to spend on the course but for some reason decides to only spend about £15-£20,000 of it, which is probably why the bloke still has a job. The tee blocks are shot to pieces, aren't mowed properly, he won't take on board any of the pro's suggestions, won't buy a first cut machine so there is very little to no definition between rough and fairway on some holes, he refuses to fill bunkers with sand and when he does the quality of sand leaves a lot to be desired, his pin placements don't change frequently enough and are about as imaginative as my right foot. To top it all off, the head greenkeeper, 17 years he's had a job.....last year cuts the drainage lines up the fairways too wide which took all summer and all winter to close up, some of them were wide enough for a ball to fit down. Then this year, he goes out to the range to mow it, rather than go around and pick up all the balls first.....he mows straight over the top of them and destroys the lot!

We have two or three small bits of water around the course, none of which comes into play in the slightest, extending these as purpose built ditches to run across fairways or the approaches to greens would add character and some what of a challenge. I'm not saying out course isn't challenging enough but there is nothing at all that makes you think do I lay up, do I take it on etc etc.

Practise grounds are an after thought, the putting green is woeful, honest to God, I'd be better off practicing putting in my own back garden, the "par 3 loop" is embarrassing and basically just 3 60 yard mowed areas with a pin at one end, the rest of the ground is left to grow to a ridiculous length which swallows golf balls.

I could go on but I don't want to bore you guys anymore....

 

[duncan mackie]

In short, everything. The course needs improving in so many ways, from small things like decent ball cleaners and tee block markers to the big things like a redesign of holes.

Ah - no small task then.

Get's better by the minute - you are joining a committee of a club that plays a course wholly owned by an individual who personally designed the course (with his deceased father), and to cap it all he clearly (from his blog) lives for the past. Your objective being to get him to spend his money changing it.

You must have been aware of this?

As an aside, here's the write up of his interviewing for the professional's job a couple of years ago...

"I am now going to make many a golfer green with envy. Last week I had the huge pleasure of interviewing nine professional golfers in one day. Katie, mistress of the dark art of arranging appointments, gleefully told me that she had organised nine half-hour interviews. I would be allowed one hour off for lunch. Naturally, the prospect of spending a whole day chatting to people about a subject I love was exciting, but my imagination was surpassed by the reality.
The first man arrived early. He was beautifully turned out, firm handshake, good eye contact, excellent manners. He sat and spoke – very articulate. My goodness, he was prepared, and he had notes!
Then it was over.
The next arrived, in plenty of time. He was beautifully turned out, firm handshake, good eye contact, excellent manners.
The third candidate (early, naturally) had the same exceptional attributes.
By the fourth new gentleman, I was trying to sneak a look at people’s shoes to see how well-polished they were (very difficult when the person in question has fixed you with an interested gaze).
As the afternoon wore on, I mused that it was like some wonderful drinks party where you found a room full of interesting people; no-one had an attitude. Whether young or slightly older, everyone was courteous and positively charming.
However, I mused, I have not seen the last man. Then, there he was; ten minutes early, suited, firm handshake etc etc.
Without doubt, the best day’s interviewing I have ever had.
I must congratulate the PGA for having these men in their ranks. They were all younger than me, indeed, most represented the ‘younger generation’. How they went up in my estimation – no worries there for the future.



Anyhow, good luck.

 

[swanny32]

Ah - no small task then.

Get's better by the minute - you are joining a committee of a club that plays a course wholly owned by an individual who personally designed the course (with his deceased father), and to cap it all he clearly (from his blog) lives for the past. Your objective being to get him to spend his money changing it.

You must have been aware of this?

As an aside, here's the write up of his interviewing for the professional's job a couple of years ago...

"I am now going to make many a golfer green with envy. Last week I had the huge pleasure of interviewing nine professional golfers in one day. Katie, mistress of the dark art of arranging appointments, gleefully told me that she had organised nine half-hour interviews. I would be allowed one hour off for lunch. Naturally, the prospect of spending a whole day chatting to people about a subject I love was exciting, but my imagination was surpassed by the reality.
The first man arrived early. He was beautifully turned out, firm handshake, good eye contact, excellent manners. He sat and spoke – very articulate. My goodness, he was prepared, and he had notes!
Then it was over.
The next arrived, in plenty of time. He was beautifully turned out, firm handshake, good eye contact, excellent manners.
The third candidate (early, naturally) had the same exceptional attributes.
By the fourth new gentleman, I was trying to sneak a look at people’s shoes to see how well-polished they were (very difficult when the person in question has fixed you with an interested gaze).
As the afternoon wore on, I mused that it was like some wonderful drinks party where you found a room full of interesting people; no-one had an attitude. Whether young or slightly older, everyone was courteous and positively charming.
However, I mused, I have not seen the last man. Then, there he was; ten minutes early, suited, firm handshake etc etc.
Without doubt, the best day’s interviewing I have ever had.
I must congratulate the PGA for having these men in their ranks. They were all younger than me, indeed, most represented the ‘younger generation’. How they went up in my estimation – no worries there for the future.



Anyhow, good luck.

Done your homework. I have worked at a golf club before, a club that has a good reputation and offers all it's punters a good day out every time they step foot on the first tee, whether it be their first time playing it or there 101st time playing it, I have seen the kind of dedication it takes from the greenkeeper, head pro, barman and the kitchen porter to keep the club running to the highest possible level. I have spoken to many a guests who have raved about the course and how they love being a member or coming back to play it once or twice a year........

On the flip side you have our place......one phrase I heard from a younger member sums it up perfectly, he's been a member there for years but is only 28/29......"The course is absolute ****, but I stay here because of the members" He's absolutely bang on, I don't think you'll find a club with nicer members than ours, everyone knows everyone, everyone get's on, gives and takes good banter and I would feel comfortable teeing it up with pretty much any one of them and know that I would have a good and enjoyable round of golf, one or two exceptions of course.